Acne

One of the best places in Toronto and in Canada to manage your acne, Toronto Dermatology Centre has a staff of outstanding Toronto dermatologists and estheticians that offer both a comprehensive assessment and diagnosis of your skin, and also discuss all the treatment options including: prescription creams, prescription pills, lasers, over the counter treatments, physician-grade skin products exclusive to our clinic, and education on natural and alternative treatment options. As well, our Toronto dermatology clinic offers medical-grade chemical peels, SilkPeel microdermabrasion, laser and light-based devices, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and a variety of options to heal acne marks and scars in the Toronto area.

Our Toronto acne clinic ensures that you get the right diagnosis and treatment plan that works for you. Our skin care professionals will give you a treatment plan that ensures the best combination of efficacy and safety to quickly clear up your skin. For acne treatment in Toronto, trust only the experts. Our renowned physicians have published in many scientific medical journals and presented at scientific meetings around the world on the management of acne. The best expert to manage your skin is a dermatologist, so make sure you’re receiving the best care possible.

Acne

A common skin condition characterized by plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), inflamed pimples & pustules, and deeper lumps (nodules or cysts). Acne occurs on the face, & sometimes affects the chest, back, and upper arms/shoulders. Although most teenagers get some form of acne, adults can also develop acne or have their teenage acne carry-on into adulthood. Often, acne clears up after several years, even without treatment. Acne can be disfiguring and upsetting to the patient. Untreated acne can leave permanent scars. To avoid acne scarring, aggressive and professional acne treatment is important. For the best acne treatment in Toronto, the Toronto Dermatology Centre is your best bet.

Types of Acne and How Acne Forms

Acne is not caused by dirt. Human hormones increase during adolescence and stimulate the sebaceous glands of the skin to enlarge, produce oil, and plug the pores, causing acne. Whiteheads (closed comedones), blackheads (open comedones), pimples &pustules, and occasionally cysts or nodules (deep pus-filled lumps) form. Adult acne develops later in life and may be related to hormones, childbirth, or stopping the birth control pill.

Cleansing

Acne has nothing to do with not washing your face. However, it is best to wash your face with a mild medical-grade cleanser (eg. ZO, SkinCeuticals, SkinMedica) and warm water daily. Speak to one of our highly trained medical estheticians to help pick the right cleanser and moisturizer for your skin type and time of year. Washing too often or too vigorously may actually make your acne worse. Exfoliating once or twice per week (depending on skin type) with an exfoliant is useful for opening up blackheads and whiteheads, and fading acne marks and scars.

Diet

If certain foods seem to make your acne worse, try to avoid them. In some cases, milk/dairy (especially skim milk ; almond or whole milk appear to be fine), or whey protein or nuts may aggravate acne, whereas low glycemic diets and increased fish intake appear to be helpful in reducing acne for some patients. A lower BMI (Body Mass Index) appears to also result in less acne.

Cosmetics

To keep your skin clean from acne, wear as little cosmetics as possible. Oil-free, water-based moisturizers and make-up should be used. Choose products that are “non-comedogenic” i.e. should not cause whiteheads or blackheads. Remove your cosmetics every night with mild soap or gentle cleanser and water. A flesh-tinted acne lotion can safely hide blemishes. Loose powder in combination with an oil-free foundation is also good for cover-up. Our Toronto dermatology clinic offers Jane Iredale mineral makeup which is perfect for acne-prone skin.

Treatment

Treatment is an ongoing process and improvement takes time with acne. Toronto Dermatology Centre will provide you a comprehensive skin assessment to determine your best treatment plan. For the best acne treatment in Toronto, call: (416) 633-0001.

Topical creams

Your dermatologist may prescribe for your acne topical creams, gels, or lotions with vitamin A acid/retinoid-like drugs, benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid or antibiotics to help unblock the pores and reduce bacteria that cause acne . These products may cause some drying and peeling, and thus should ideally be applied overtop of a moisturizer; if your skin becomes irritated, take breaks from your cream or add a moisturizer (e.g. apply medicated cream/gel first, and 1 minute later apply a moisturizer overtop).

Before starting any medication, even topical medications, inform your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you are trying to get pregnant.

Special Treatments

Do not pick, scratch, pop, or squeeze pimples yourself. When the pimples are squeezed, more redness, swelling, inflammation, and scarring may result.

Microdermabrasion may be used to remove the upper layers of the skin improving irregularities in the surface, contour, and generating new skin. Our Toronto dermatologists offer SilkPeel Dermalinfusion which is an advanced microdermabrasion with infusion of anti-acne ingredients.

Chemical peels with glycolic acid, salicylic acid, retinoic acid or trichloroacetic acid (or a combination) can help unblock the pores, open blackheads and whiteheads, and minimize marks and acne scarring. Toronto Dermatology Centre is well-known for its acne scarring treatment options.

Injections of corticosteroids may be used for treating large red bumps (nodules & cysts). This may help them go away much more quickly so that they don’t leave you a scar.

Oral

Antibiotics taken by mouth, such as tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, or others such as trimethoprim, ampicillin or erythromycin, are often prescribed for acne for about 2-6 months. Toronto Dermatology Centre has dermatologists who are very knowledgeable about these antibiotics and other pills in terms of efficacy, proper dosing and safety issues.

Oral contraceptive pills may be used specifically for the treatment of acne. They are particularly effective in women in whom periods are irregular, or who have the medical condition PCOS, or who notice flare-ups before each period, or have more lower face (e.g. around the mouth) and jawline or neck acne. Our clinic physicians can prescribe the pill, or it can be prescribed by your GP/family physician.

Other Treatments

In cases of unresponsive or severe acne, isotretinoin (e.g. Accutane, Epuris) may be used for your acne. Toronto Dermatology Centre physicians have used this medication for many years with great success. Patients using isotretinoin must understand the potential side effects of this drug. Monitoring with frequent follow-up visits is necessary. Pregnancy must be prevented while taking the medication, since the drug causes birth defects.

Spironolactone/Aldactone which reduces the effects of male hormones on the skin also helps with acne in women.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using intense pulse light (IPL) or broad band light (BBL) and the red wavelength of light (Metvix) can help to get rid of acne as well.

Your physician will evaluate your skin and suggest the appropriate treatment regimes considering your age, sex, type and the extent of your acne. Toronto Dermatology Centre is well-equipped to handle all types of acne and in all skin types. For the most comprehensive and optimal acne treatment in Toronto, our skin care professionals will be pleased to assess you.

Treatment of Acne Scarring

Your dermatologist can use a variety of methods of acne scars treatment. Skin resurfacing with laser (Profractional laser resurfacing), dermabrasion or microdermabrasion, microneedling (e.g. dermaroller & electronic dermastamp) with or without platelet rich plasma (PRP), chemical peels, or electrosurgery can flatten scars. Soft tissue elevation with dermatologic fillers or subcision can elevate scars. Brown marks left by acne can be improved with physician-grade chemical peels, microdermabrasion (preferably the advanced SilkPeel Dermalinfusion system), prescription bleaching creams and medical-grade products sold at Toronto Dermatology Centre. Our skin care professionals will ensure that all acne scar treatment options are reviewed with you to find the best fit for your problem and budget.

Before and After Pictures of Our Patients:

Before and After

Before and After

Before and After

*Results may vary from person to person.

Here is a selection of media and scientific articles by our renowned dermatologists Dr. Benjamin Barankin and Dr. Anatoli Freiman as they pertain to acne. Toronto Dermatology Centre is proud to be among the largest treatment centres for acne in Canada as well as the most widely published in the scientific literature on acne.

Before and After Photo Disclaimer:With all before and after images shown on the site, no claims are made that results are guaranteed to be exactly the same. Results will vary by individual patient and no guarantees are made. Images of actual patients are shown for informational purposes only.